Lady Mary "Molly" Fairbanks and the handsome notorious Lord Harry Traemore have a history. At 13, Molly declared her love for Harry's brother, Roderick, who was to marry her older sister, Penelope. Unfortunately, this also involved Harry and resulted in banning both Harry and Molly to unexpected lives. The expressed dislike between the two of them has been festering for all these years and Molly is now past the age for a desirable marriage.

At 21, Molly encounters Harry, which draws her into a game imposed upon him and several other friends and their mistresses. Being society's "Impossible Bachelor," Prince Regent has imposed the game of "Most Delectable Companion," allowing the winner to remain unmarried. When Harry's lightskirt abandons him, he has no choice but to whisk Molly away against her wishes to be his "false mistress" in obtaining his freedom. Over the course of a week, with all the players sequestered together, their charade backfires and they find themselves head-over-heels in love. Being headstrong, clever and the opposite of any seductive female, Molly wins them over with her honest and caring attitude. Upon time to part and go their separate ways, Harry is not so confident of being the "Impossible Bachelor."

This story is most amusing and filled with surprising antics. The transformation of Harry during his week- long reassessment opens up a new outlook to him. Maybe the bachelor isn't so impossible anymore. Molly is a hot-head who doesn't conform to the way they play their games and imposes rules of her own. It was difficult to put this book down, and I couldn't wait to see what Molly would think up next. This is a highly funny and clever story. I look forward to future works by Kieran Kramer, a gifted writer.

Book Summary

Dashing Lord Harry Traemore is perfectly content to live out his days in the pursuit of pleasure. But when he’s named by the Prince Regent as one of society’s “Impossible Bachelors,” Harry is drafted into a ribald romantic wager. The rules of engagement are scandalously simple: The bachelor whose mistress wins the title of “Most Delectable Companion” gets to remain unmarried. Harry is utterly unconcerned about his status...until his latest lightskirt abandons him.

Enter Lady Molly Fairbanks. Harry’s childhood friend— actually, “foe” is more like it—is the most unlikely companion of all. She’s attractive but hot-headed, and in no mood for games. Besides, what could the self-indulgent Harry possibly know about what makes a woman delectable? It’s time for Molly to teach him a lesson once and for all...but will it lead to “happily ever after”?

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